Canonesa,
Convoy HX72 & U-100
This site describes the events surrounding the loss
of the Canonesa, the attack on Convoy HX72, and the
exploits of the U-boat which sank seven ships in just
over three hours; U-100, captained by Joachim Schepke.

VietnamWarBooks.netDedicated mainly to book reviews on the war with a list of the all time top 10 books written on the Vietnam War and much more.

Beautiful Feet BooksBeautiful Feet has published hundreds of books, and is your source for history books. From American Literature Study Guides to Teacher Guides, Beautiful Feet can be your one stop shop for history books. So as you embark on your history through literature, keep Beautiful Feet Books on the top of your list.

World War II Stalingrad Veteran InterviewThe following important interview with Herr Wigand W├╝ster, a World War II Stalingrad German veteran. Wigand Wuester has written many books on World War II and appeared on U.S. TV shows such as the PBS Special "Battle of Stalingrad."

Lesson Plans on the Revolutionary WarLearn more about Gregory Edgar fascinating historical fiction books geared to the teen reader plus lesson plans on the Revolutionary War -- for classroom use with Gregory Edgar's award winning young adult historical fiction novels, Patriots and Gone to Meet the British.

Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe by Wikipedia - Harriet Beecher Stowe traveled to Washington, D.C. and there met President Abraham Lincoln on November 25, 1862. Legend has it that, upon meeting her, he greeted her by saying, "so you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war."

World War II was a war fought from 1939 to 1945 in Europe,
and from at least 1937 to 1945 in Asia. It was the largest
armed conflict the world has ever seen, spanning the entire
world and involving more countries than any previous war
- and fought with powerful new weapons, culminating in
the first use of two atomic bombs, whose very existence
had been a tightly-held secret. The conflict ravaged civilians
more than had any previous wars of the modern era, and
served as a backdrop for genocidal killings by Germany,
the Soviet Union, and Japan. World War II caused a greater
number of deaths, about [61 million], more than any previous
war.

Overview

World War I aftermath

The origins of the war in Europe can be traced to the
end of World War I. In the Treaty of Versailles, Germany
was punished with the payment of reparations of war to
the victorious nations. The Treaty also placed important
restrictions on the German military.

The severe economic reparations helped bring on a serious
economic crisis, hyperinflation, and civil unrest in Germany
that made possible the rise of the National Socialist
(Nazi) Party.

Oddly, Germany's wartime adversaries were far more serious
about enforcing the economic reparations than the military
restrictions on Germany. Under Adolf Hitler, Germany began
re-asserting itself in Europe, clandestinely remilitarising
in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1936 the German army reoccupied the Rhineland. Germany
annexed Austria in the spring of 1938; Hitler then planned
to attack and conquer Czechoslovakia, on the pretext of
alleged mistreatment of the (largely Germanic) population
of the Sudetenland.

Britain had guaranteed the security of Czechoslovakia
and it seemed war must break out at this point when the
British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, appealed
to Hitler, and flew to Munich, where the British and French
leaders agreed to the cession of the Sudetenland to Germany.
Czech representatives were not allowed at the conference;
their government strongly opposed giving up the Sudetenland
but were powerless in the face of German military might
and British and French unwillingness to fight for them.

It should be remembered that the rapidly rearming Germany
had militarily stolen a march on Britain, which was completely
unprepared for war at this time. Chamberlain's infamous
act of appeasement, which has been widely seen as cowardly
submission, was explained by Chamberlain as an effort
to buy time in which to rearm.

Start of the war in Europe

Germany finally became engaged in full-scale war on September
1, 1939 after the Germans invaded Poland, with whom both
Britain and France had pledged guarantees (see Polish
September Campaign 1939).

Soon after, on September 17, the Soviet Union invaded
Poland from the east, as had been agreed to between Hitler's
Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, and his Soviet
counterpart, Vyacheslav Molotov. Under this joint attack Poland fell quickly, with
last large operational units surrendering October 5 (However
Poland was fighting to the end of the war, contributing
much to the final defeat of Nazi Germany).

Germany on the one hand, and France and Britain on the
other, settled into a period of quiet maneuvering while
they mobilized for conflict. This relatively non-confrontational
period between the major powers lasted until May, 1940,
and was known as the Phony War. Several other countries,
however, were drawn into the conflict at this time. The
USSR conquered the Baltic, and also attacked Finland but
fought it to a stalemate in the Winter War. Germany invaded
Denmark and Norway, ostensibly as a defensive maneuver
against potential British occupation of those countries.

Germany finally ended the Phony War when it turned west.
In a sweeping invasion of the Low Countries that bypassed
French fortifications along the Maginot Line, Germany
conquered Belgium and the Netherlands then turned the
might of its army on France. France fell unexpectedly
quickly, leaving Britain to stand alone against Germany.
Fortunately for Britain, much of its ground forces escaped
capture in the final days of that campaign through a heroic
naval rescue from the French harbor of Dunkirk.

Britain's resistance to the threat of German invasion
was dogged. An outnumbered RAF fought a long, ultimately
successful airwar with the Luftwaffe during the early
days of the war, a conflict known as the Battle of Britain.
London was later heavily bombed, as were many industrial
cities such as Birmingham and Coventry, and strategically
important cities, such as the naval base at Plymouth.

In reprisal for the bombing of Lubeck in 1942, Hermann Goering launched the Baedeker Blitz, a campaign of morale-destroying
bombings aimed at many beautiful English cities of little
military importance such as Exeter, Bath and Norwich.
Britain's supply lines with America were severely impacted
by the German use of U-boats to sink both military and
mercantile shipping in the Battle of the Atlantic.

On June 22, 1941, the Germans launched a surprise invasion,
codenamed Operation Barbarossa, against their erstwhile
Russian allies. The German Army pushed deep into Russia,
overrunning the Red Army at times. But with the capture
of Moscow apparently imminent, Hitler suddenly ordered
his generals to divert their main thrust south in order
to conquer Ukraine. This diversion cost the German Army
valuable time; by the time they again set their sights
on Moscow, the armored assault was slowed by the autumn
mud, and then stopped cold when the Russian winter struck.
The German army, which had not expected such a prolonged
campaign, suffered great loss of life as the chilling
winds and lack of planning took their toll.

The next spring the German army continued to push forward,
and in November 1942, with the German army at the "gates
of Stalingrad", Moscow only 100 miles away, and the oil
fields of Grozny in reach, the Red Army held strong. Factors
such as indecision by Hitler, dissent among the higher
ranked German officers, a long distance to their supplies
and a second Russian winter, combined to result in a prolonged
battle in the streets of Stalingrad. Heavy losses affected
both sides in the battle for Stalingrad, also known as
the greatest military bloodbath in recorded history. An
estimated 2 million people perished in this battle, including
500,000 civilians. It was the first major defeat of the
German army, and they never regained their momentum, allowing
the Russian armies to eventually chase the Germans all
the way back to Berlin.

The Germans also suffered defeat at the hands of the British
in North Africa in late 1942. In the two battles at El
Alamein in June and late October - early November, the
British under General Montgomery pushed the Germans out
of Egypt, westward towards Tunisia. After American troops
landed in Algeria in Operation Torch, the Allies completely
pushed the Germans out of Africa in 1943.

The war in Asia

Japan had invaded China in the early 1930s and had been
actively engaged in military action there since 1937.
In an effort to discourage Japan's war efforts in China,
the United States, Britain and the government in exile
of the Netherlands(still in control of oil-rich Indonesia),
stopped trading oil and steel (both war staples) with
Japan. Japan saw this as an act of aggression as it needed
the oil for its war efforts, and on December 7, 1941,
the Japanese navy attacked the American Fleet at Pearl
Harbor. Japan then invaded and conquered countries across
Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including the Dutch East
Indies (now Indonesia).

At the same time Germany declared war on the United States,
drawing America into a two theater war. America had until
then remained out of the conflict, though providing military
aid to Britain through the Lend-Lease program.

The end of the war

Germany's power was eventually broken by the disastrous
Russian campaign, while the ultimately successful invasion
of France from the Normandy beachheads by the Western
allies on June 6, 1944 opened up a third front. Incessant
bombing of Germany's infrastructure and cities caused
great casualties and disruption. Internally, Hitler survived
a number of assassination attempts, the most serious was
the July 20 Plot in which Hitler was slightly injured.

In Operation Market Garden the allies attempted to capture
bridges, to open the way into Germany and liberate the
northern Netherlands. However the failure to capture the
bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem delayed the advance. When
all was lost for the Germans, Hitler committed suicide
in his bunker along with his lover, Eva Braun. The Russians
took Berlin, and Germany was partitioned by the Allies.
The final surrender documents were signed by General Alfred
Jodl on May 7, 1945. May 8 was declared V-E (Victory In
Europe) Day.

The Japanese expansion throughout the Pacific and Asia
was halted by their devastating defeat at the Battle of Midway, where they suffered crippling losses to their
carrier fleet. From then on the Japanese fought a defensive
war, as the U.S. began an island hopping campaign across
the Pacific. Hard-fought battles at Tarawa, Iwo Jima,
Okinawa, and others resulted in horrific casualties on
both sides, but the Japanese were finally driven back.
Faced with the loss of most of their experienced pilots,
the Japanese resorted to Kamikaze tactics in an attempt
to slow the U.S. advance. Meanwhile, Tokyo and other Japanese
cities suffered greatly from attacks by American bombers.
Japan finally surrendered after the cities Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, both industrial and civilian targets, were destroyed
by atomic bombs . The final surrender was signed September
2, 1945, on the battleship U.S.S. Missouri. Following
this period, General Douglas MacArthur established base
in Japan to oversee the postwar development of the country.
This period in Japanese history is known as the occupation.

Historical Significance

Probably because of the example of World War I, compensation
was not demanded of the defeated nations. On the contrary,
a plan created by U. S. Secretary of State George Marshall,
the Economic Recovery Program, better known as the Marshall
Plan, meant billions of dollars being used by the US Congress
for the reconstruction of Europe. The portion of Europe
occupied by the Soviet Union did not participate in the
plan. At the same time, the United States consolidated
its military presence and links in Europe as preparation
against possible Soviet aggression.

Featured Sites

PuzzQuiz - The Conquest of Knowledge
- A fascinating and clever combination of World War 2 history and facts with a puzzle twist. A fascinating and clever combination of World War 2 history and facts with a puzzle twist.

Canonesa,
Convoy HX72 und U-100
- Chronicles a U-boat attack on an allied merchant
convoy during the Battle of the Atlantic, and provides
a tribute to the merchant navy and merchant seamen during
World War 2.

Finding Granddadĺs War -To discover the grandfather he never knew, Badger began tracking down dozens of World War II veterans from his grandfather's unit. Through their stories and recollections, Badger began to reconstruct a very personal vision of his grandfather and the war. Illustrations throughout.

US Army Special Operations in World War II - "Ranger units captured positions critical to the success of amphibious landings in the Mediterra-nean, France, and the Philippines. Partisans advised by American military personnel provided essential intelligence to American forces and harassed enemy troops in support of American operations in Italy, France, the Philippines, and Burma..."

Navajo
Code Talkers - The United States Marine Corps employed
Navajo volunteers in communications security roles in
the Pacific Theater during World War Two. The Japanese
were never able to break the code when the Navajo spoke
in their native language. Includes articles and links.

The Nazi Children's
Home Page - Norwegian self-help group for those whose
parents were members of a fascist or national socialistic
movement during the war.

102nd
Infantry Division - History of an American division
fighting in Germany during World War Two. Includes text
history, photo gallery, and annual reunion information.

Norway
1940 - Describes the German invasion, with Orders
of Battle, battle descriptions, historical background,
politics etc. It concentrates on the Norwegian side of
the conflict.

A
Raid on Munich - The actual accounting of a bombing
raid over Germany during WW2, and the capture,imprisonment
and forced Death March that ensued.

A
Reminiscence of War 1939-45 - Personal memoir by James
Glass, a scot who served in the army in North Africa,
Palestine, Syria, Iraq (as Kingston's Column) and Iran.

Ruins of
the Reich - Video tour traces the rise and fall of
the Third Reich thru the ruins of its monuments and buildings.
Ruins include Hitler's Wolffs Lair hdqtrs and Mountain
retreat. Tannenburg, sub pens.

Second
World War Posters - The planning, design and reception
of British Home Front propaganda posters of the Second
World War.

The
Story of Oscar Schindler - A member of the Nazi Party,
a gambler, an alcoholic and a shameless womanizer of the
worst sort - and at the same time, one of the greatest,
if not the greatest, humane figure in the horrors of Holocaust.

50th Anniversary
of D-Day - US Army Rangers WWII veterans return to
Grandcamp, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, in Normandy,France,
for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day in June 1994.

6th Armored
Division . - Devoted to the history of the "Super
Sixth" 6th Armored Division, one of Patton's spearheading
units of the Third Army. Includes unit histories, personal
stories, and contact information about the post-war Association
and its final reunion in September 2000.

150th
Combat Engineers of WWII - Formed in New England,
in 1943, it consisted mostly of men drafted in the New
England area. The former soldiers of this group have formed
the 150th Combat Engineer Battalion Association.

War Gunner
- Photos, links and information on the British Expeditionary
Forces, Vimy Ridge, Dunkirk and North Africa from the
perspective of an Oxfordshire soldier. Also includes a
discussion of army cooking and recipes.

World War II -
Prisoners of War - Stalag Luft I - A history of United
States Air Force prisoners of war at Stalag Luft I, a
World War II prison camp located in Barth, Germany. Includes
personal stories, photos, artwork, books, documents, and
the secret camp newsletter.

World War
II Factbook - A searchable chronology of critical
military and political events during the war with coverage
of special topics such as casualties, ship losses and
the Nuremberg trial. Includes bibliography and links to
related resources.

World
War II Memoirs-3rd Infantry Division - Graphic Official
Photos and descriptions of S/Sgt. William Heller of the
3rd Infantry Division, 3rd Signal Company. From North
Africa, Sicily, Italy Southern France, and Germany in
World War II.

holocaust+

korean war

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museum

Texas Military
Forces Museum
The only museum in the Nation devoted to the history of
the military forces of the State of Texas. An important
tool for informing citizens about the values and events
that shape our modem world.